The realities of life already get in the way of accessing birth control. Not everyone is able to take time off work, afford transportation, or pay for child care in order to go to their doctor, just to get a birth control prescription. For those without insurance, paying for a doctor's visit and for the prescription out of pocket can put the pill out of reach. For those who are LGBTQ, non-binary, an immigrant, or an intersection of these identities, worrying about revealing your family's status or being shamed at the doctor's office pushes the pill even further out of reach. Young people often feel the weight of these barriers most acutely.

There are so many reasons why we need birth control options that work for everyone, and the Trump administration's actions have made those needs even more immediate. Here are four reasons why making the birth control pill available over the counter is such an important step for greater access:

Nearly Half Of All Pregnancies in the United States Are Unintended

If birth control pills were available over the counter, there would be fewer unnecessary barriers to getting them. While having a yearly visit with your doctor is important for other health reasons, it's not necessary to safely and effectively use birth control. Without having to go through the trouble of going to the doctor for a prescription, anyone can visit the pharmacy the same day their previous pack ran out and minimize the time between refills that can lead to unintended pregnancies.